GOLF: Thunderbirds Take Day One Lead at Canada West Golf Championships

LETHBRIDGE – The Canada West Golf Championships opened Monday at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort, with the field taking on 18 holes in breezy southern Alberta conditions.

With a steady wind moving through the course throughout the day, players faced an added challenge with club selection and approach shots, while temperatures remained favourable for the opening round of championship play.

On the men's side, UBC Thunderbird Aneesh Kaura sits atop the individual leaderboard after carding a three-under-par 68.

Kaura got his round underway with a birdie on the second hole before making the biggest move of his opening round on the par-five fifth, where he recorded an eagle. He added three more birdies on the back nine, converting on holes 12, 14 and 18. Three bogeys, on holes four, nine and 16, were his only setbacks as he finished three under.

University of Alberta Golden Bears golfer Kai Baerg sits one stroke back at two-under-par after a 69. Baerg posted four birdies on holes four, nine, 11 and 13, with a double bogey on the 10th accounting for his only significant blemish. Kaura and Baerg played in the same group, beginning their rounds from the first tee.

Owen Croft and Rory Nell round out the top four at even par.

In the team race, UBC leads the men's field at 10-over-par with a team score of 294. The Golden Bears are one stroke back at +11 (295), followed by the UBCO Heat at +13 (297). The Victoria Vikes and Calgary Dinos are tied for fourth at +16.

The host Lethbridge Pronghorns sit tied for eighth with the Regina Cougars at +35, both posting team scores of 319. Men's team scoring counts the four lowest gross scores from each five-player roster.

The women's individual leaderboard is also led by UBC, with Thunderbirds Katherine Hao and Cadence Ko tied at +2 following opening-round scores of 73.

Hao, who started her round on the 10th tee, recorded birdies on holes three, five and eight, while Ko, who opened from the 12th tee, finished with birdies on holes three and four.

Victoria Vike Cindy Koira is third at +3 after a birdie on the 17th, while UBCO Heat golfer Ayda Matthews sits fourth at +5.

UBC also holds the women's team lead at +11 (224), followed by UBCO at +19 (232) and Victoria at +26 (239). Alberta sits fourth at +32, while Calgary and Fraser Valley are tied for fifth at +44.

The host Pronghorns are seventh at +45 (258). Women's team scoring counts the three lowest gross scores from each five-player roster.

Round two of the Canada West Golf Championships gets underway Tuesday morning with a 9:30 a.m. MT shotgun start at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort.

Women's Individual Standings - After Round 1

Women's Team Standings - After Round 1

Men's Individual Standings - After Round 1

Men's Team Standings - After Round 1